Pickup truck beds are commonly covered with a rigid cover to protect cargo within the bed. These covers are hinged at one end of the truck bed, typically adjacent the truck cab. The bed is accessed by lifting the cover up from the end opposite the hinge, and typically, adjacent the tailgate. These covers can be heavy and rather awkward to open by hand. Additionally, it is difficult for the user to open the cover with one hand and service the bed with the other.
Some devices are available to assist in the use of the covers. One type of device provides a rigid rod for propping open the cover, much like how the hood of a car is propped open. Another type of device includes gas struts that support the cover in an open position. While somewhat satisfactory for holding the cover open while loading and unloading, props and gas struts do not assist with the opening of the cover.
Powered covers have been disclosed in the past. By example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,155,423 discloses a liftable vehicle top for a pickup truck issued to Cripe in 1964. Other truck cover devices include a foldable top for a truck bed issued to Geier in U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,669. These truck bed covers and others like them incorporate rather complex structures on both sides of the cover that lift the cover upwards. The mechanisms for lifting the cover incorporates many moving parts, some including pivoting cross-arms and scissor linkages that not only obstruct access to the bed from the side, but present a safety hazard during the opening and closing of the cover.
Accordingly, there is a need for a power assisted truck bed cover actuator to automate the opening and closing of the cover to free the operator from manual operation. Further, there is a need for a power assisted cover actuator that is easily installed by the truck owner as well as the OEM. Also, there is a need for the added security measures afforded a power assisted cover actuator.